Matthew's gospel tells two stories of outsiders who come to Jesus determined and confident that he will do something incredible for someone they care about. Will we do the same for one another?

It's easy to become discouraged when we don't see the results of our prayers but, as the story of Abraham reminds us, we must take our place as priests who will intercede on behalf of the world.

Psalm 23 is much more than a scripture to read at funerals. It's a radical reminder that we pray to a God who is the shepherd of our lives.

Paul's prayer for the Ephesians reminds us of the core business of prayer - that we may know God better.

Luke's telling of the birth of Jesus reminds us that God acted at a real time in history, in a real place, with real people. If we pause from our busyness, we might just be amazed again at the one who comes close to us.

The genealogies at the end of Ruth & at the start of Matthew's gospel are full of remarkable people. What has God called you to continue to be committed to?

The end of the book of Ruth is much better than a simple love story; the actions of Ruth, Naomi and Boaz have much bigger consequences.

Both Ruth and Boaz took risks in order to create new possibilities for others. What might God be asking of us which could prove redemptive for others in our families and work places?

How do we make sense of the good things that happen in life which are beyond our control? Do we put them down to luck or is God involved somehow? “When I pray, coincidences happen; when I don’t, they don’t.” William Temple pic.twitter.com/0XmpodIG3c — Salford Elim Church (@SalfordElim) 17 November 2019

The book of Ruth is a story of God's hand in the midst of an ordinary family. When tragedy strikes, we, like Naomi, may well ask: 'where are you God?'